Milk-can lock.



P. L. HOLDRIDGE.

MILK CAN LOOK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30, 1911.

1,006,944. Patented Oct. 24, 1911. FIG! It 1 27 1 g INN" ml, 1]

[N VEN T OR. Y FL.HoZdr/zi@a ATTORNEK? COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

FFTQE FRANKLIN L. HOLDRIDGE, OF TIDIOU'IE, PENNSYLVANIA.

MILK-CAN LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1911.

Application filed March 30, 1911. Serial No. 617,933.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN L. HOLD- RIDGE, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Tidioute, in the county of Warren and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Milk-Can Locks, of which the fol lowing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to looks particularly by the consumer in an unlocked condition and after being filled, locked by the producer without the aid of a key (only the consumer needs a key) and to prevent dirt and other matter from accumulating upon the upper edges of the can, thereby preventing contamination of the milk when poured from the can. To this end I have devised a lock that is embodied in the lid of the can, in such manner as not to come in contact with the contents, and insuring the milk being delivered in the same condition as consigned to the consumer, the lock being sufficiently concealed to prevent it from being tampered with.

The invention will be hereinafter specifically described and then claimed, and reference will now be had to the drawing, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a portion of the can, partly broken away and partly in section showing the lid of the can in a locked position thereon, the section through the lock mechanism being taken on the line II of Fig. 2, Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of a locking mechanism, Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of the neck of the can, Fig. 4 is an elevation of a key used in connection with the lock, and Fig. 5 is a side elevation of an auxiliary device carried by the can for permitting the placing of the lid on the can without looking thereof when desired.

The reference numeral 1 denotes a portion of a can having handles 2, a breast 3, and

a neck 4, provided with a wire annular edge 5.

6 denotes a lid of the mushroom type and this lid has a horizontal partition 7 supported in the lid by depending bolts 8 and nuts 9.

10 denotes a depending annular shell carried by said partition and adapted to fit in the neck 4, and 11 denotes segment shaped casings carried by the outside of said neck, and having the upper edges thereof in a horizontal plane with the wire edge 5 of the neck 4, said casings having the bottoms thereof provided with openings 12, which prevents water and other matter from accumulating in the casings. Secured to the bot tom of each casing 11 is a post 32 and pivotally mounted in the upper end of the post by a pin 33 is a lever 34, and movably mounted upon the post adjacent to the lever is a washer 35. Encircling the post 32 between the washer 35 and the bottom casing 11 is a coiled compression spring 36. These arms 34 are adapted to be moved on their pivots 33 into a vertical position where they will constitute supports for the lid, holding the latter elevated, and preventing same from looking until the arms 34 are turned down to the horizontal position shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

13 denotes diametrically opposed latcharms slidably mounted upon the partition 7, said arms being mounted to slide in keepers 14 secured to said partition. The outer ends of the arms are provided with depending hook-shaped latches 15 extending through slots 16, provided therefor in the partition 7, said latches engaging under the wire edge 5, when the lid is locked upon the can. The casings 11 prevent the latches from being tampered with. v

17 denotes horizontally-disposed curved actuating members having reduced ends 18 pivotally connected, as at 19, to the inner ends of the arms 13, the opposite ends of said members being pivotally mounted, as at 20 between a strap 21 and the partition 7, said strap being secured, as at 22, to said partition. The members 17 are guided in their movement by a guide strap 23, secured to the partition, as at 24. Mounted in the guide strap 23 are flat compression springs 25, engaging the members 17 and normally retaining said members in ,a retracted position.

26 denotes a key opening in the lid 6, and

the partition 7, directly beneath the opening 26, has a key stud 27 adapted to receive the lower cylindrical end of a key shank 28, said shank having diametrically opposed lugs 29, adapted to engage the confronting sides of the members 17.

30 denotes wards carried by the partition 7 to prevent an ordinary key from being used to open the lock, and 31 denotes a handle carried by the lid 6, to facilitate the removal of the same from the neck of the can.

In use, when the supporting arms 34 are in a vertical position, they will engage with the plate 7 should the lid be placed on the can neck, and therefore will hold the lid elevated in such position as to prevent locking thereof. When however, it is desired to lock the lid on the can, the arms 34 are turned down to a horizontal position so that the shell 10 can enter the can neck, the beveled faces of the latches riding over the head or edge 5, and snapping thereunder through the action of springs 25, securely locking the lid on the can. To unlock the lid, the key 28 is inserted in the key-hole 26 and engaged over the stud 27. When turned, in either direction the words 29 engage the confronting faces of members 17 which, swinging on their pivots move latch-arms 13 and latches 15 outwardly so that when a pull is exerted on handle 31, the latches will clear the bead or edge 5. hen the lid has been removed or elevated far enough to disengage the catches 15' from locking engagement with the head 5, the arms 34 may be turned up to vertical position to support the lid and prevent same from being accidentally forced into locked position. It will be evident that the springs automatically restore the arms 13 and latches 15 to their normal position, and that the use of the key is not required to re-lock the lid.

What I claim is 1. The combination with the neck of a milk can, casings carried thereby, a lid, a partition arranged in said lid, and a depend ing shell carried by said partition and adapt ed to enter the neck of said milk can, of

latch-arms movably mounted upon said partition, depending latches carried by the outer ends of said arms and adapted to enter said casings and engage the neck of said milk can, spring pressed actuating members I pivotally mounted upon sa1d partltlon and Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,-

pivotally connected to said arms, said lid having a key opening to receive a key for engagement with said members to shift the arms.

2. In a milk can lock, the combination with a can neck having a head at its upper end, a lid, a partition within the lid having a depending shell to enter the can neck, said ing the latch arms in locked engagement with the head of the can neck, said lid having a key-opening to receive a key for engagement with the actuating members to shift the latch arms to unlocked position.

3. In a milk can lock, the combination wit-h a can neck, a lid, and locking mechanism carried by the lid for engagement with the can neck, of casings carried by the can neck at opposite sides thereof, posts mounted in said casings, supporting-arms pivoted at one end in the upper ends of said posts,

and springs on the posts between the pivoted ends of the arms and the bottom of the casings, said supporting arms when swung on their pivots to vertical position acting to support the lid against movement to lock ing position.

4. In a milk can lock, a can neck, a lid for closing said neck, a partition carried by said lid, arms movably mounted upon said partition, latches carried by the outer ends of said arms and adapted to engage said neck, key-operated spring pressed pivoted members arranged upon said partition and adapted to shift said arms and the latches thereof, casings carried by the neck of said i can and inclosing said latches, and a device arranged 1n said casmgs and adapted to prevent said lock from looking until said device is shifted.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN L. HOLDRIDGE.

Witnesses:

MAX I-I. SRoLovi'rz, K. H. BUTLER.

Washington, D. C. 

